Merne at Lighthouse — Restaurant in Victoria

I don’t usually leave a review for venues/places but I felt as if it would be a disservice to the experience I just enjoyed there if I didn’t. I would highly recommend to anyone to add this place to the top of your list to try as the experience served here far exceeds the modest price and I would honestly be expecting to be paying more for such a night out so get in before the word gets out.

The atmosphere at Merne was simple and yet very eloquently intimate. The mixture of the decor combined with the warm service and gentle sounds makes you feel like your settling in to the comforts at home as soon as you walk through the door.

The dinning experience itself, I would say, is on par with some of the best in Melbourne, and I would rate it among the best if not the best in the geelong surf coast area. Each course was full of some complex and also simple ingredients that are implemented in a such a way that it creates a near synchronicity of flavour in each mouthful. The timing of the courses was beautifully executed allowing for the full appreciation of the course before the next is served. I would also like to add that the owner Caleb is an excellent judge of wine so if you’re after something adventurous to pair with your meal taking a consult from him is something I would highly recommend.

The service was the right amount of attentiveness, being present without the feeling of being overbearing, which is perfect for the intimate feeling of the setting, allowing conversation to flow freely without it seeming to be interrupted.

The value of this place is incredible, I would be expecting to pay close to double for a similar experience in Melbourne, so if your a foodie who’s not afraid of travelling off the beaten path, then make this...

What a delightful find this was. You'd be hard pressed to find more friendly and attentive, yet totally unobtrusive service anywhere than you'll find at Merne. We dined as a three (two adults and a toddler) on a Saturday afternoon, lucky to get a late booking. The food was all lovely, starting with delightful olives and featuring lots of local ingredients. The menu is a banquet/tasting menu style and we were so full by the end we were offered our dessert takeaway which we enjoyed in the evening. The setting is beautiful and has stunning views. There were probably about 30 diners in our sitting which meant it had a good atmosphere without being too busy. The thing we spoke about afterwards was how well the front of house team worked. It seemed like they were always stopping for a chat (short or long) with one of the various tables and were never short of time to chat about the food, the wine, the property or life in general, yet with the number of people and the number of dishes coming from the kitchen they didn't miss a beat. Overall a faultless experience and the chat with Caleb afterwards reaffirmed that this is a business that you'd be lucky to experience and would also...

My husband and I celebrated our wedding anniversary today at Merne with the shared two-course lunch. Yet it felt as if the food was never going to end as these delicious snack-sized morsels kept appearing with perfect timing. From the moment we walked into this sparkling welcoming gem, to the moment we left three hours later, everything was perfect and unrushed. The food was exquisite and perfectly balanced. The service was friendly, attentive and informal, just the way I like it. The couple serving the food were so friendly and courteous; the lady had the most smiling eyes I've ever seen, important when you're wearing a mask!

If you like small but plentiful serves of delicious food, rather than enormous serves of one thing that you can't eat, this place is perfection itself. Then of course there's the glorious view of olive groves and further to Queenscliff and Mornington peninsula. The music was contemporary and quiet. Everything was perfect and the price was very reasonable for what we had. Highly recommended and now I have to try and find an excuse to...